BEIJING (Reuters) - More than 400,000 new cars hit the
roads in China's capital in 2006, state media said on Monday,
or more than 1,000 a day, snarling Beijing's efforts to control
the city's notorious traffic ahead of the 2008 Olympics.

Beijing authorities expect the number of cars in the city
to continue to grow by about 10 percent a year for the
forseeable future, Xinhua news agency reported.

Despite the increase, authorities would not limit the
number of private cars on the roads, but instead focus on
improving the road network, the report said.

Beijing is rapidly expanding its network of subway lines
and has experimented with taking cars off the road to try to
curb traffic jams, clear smog and ensure smooth transport for
the Olympics, which it will host in August.

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But other Chinese cities, where car ownership is also
soaring as the middle class expands, are taking more aggressive
measures.

The financial capital Shanghai levies high fees for license
plates and is considering London-style "congestion fees" for
private cars during peak hours.